The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-16
WINGARD CONVICTED.
THE JURY RETURN A VERDICT OF
VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.

How the Verdict Was Received
Large Crowds Patiently Wait to
Learn the Boys Fate-Wingard Alone
in His Misery.
Before the doors of the Superior Court
room were opened yesterday morning,
large number of persons were gathered
around the building awaiting admission.
Every tongue in that motley tilrong was
wagging, and the one topic of conversation
was Willie Vineyard, the boy patricide, the
slayer If Edward E. Thomas. What the
verdict would be was freely discussed, and
the opinions that were ventured would fill a
volume. The general opinion seemed TO he
that the verdict would be guilty, but
that the Jury would insert recon-
mendation for mercy, which would save
the boy from the gibbet, though there were
many who were inclined to believe the tes-
timony given in behalf of the accused, and
they looked for an acquittal. Some were
even heard to express the opinion that
Wingard should not only be acquitted, but
that he should receive pension from the
State for killing Thomas The testimony of
inhuman cruelty on the part of the dead
man to his wife was positive and direct, yet
It did not seem to take hold of the public
mind, probably because of the striking
similarity in matters of detail between what
was sworn to by the four principal wit
nesses for the defense. The testimony was
reviewed and discussed and weighed as care
fully as if the crowd on the sidewalk was
the jury.
THE GRANDPARENTS VISIT.
The discussion was interrupted however,
by the appearance of Mr.. james Tant, the
boys grandfather. MIR. Tant passed through
the crowd and made his way into the
Sheriff's office He asked Mr.. Roman if
Willie had been brought down from jail,
and when he learned that he had not he
left and did not return. A short while
before 9 O'Clock the court room was opened
and the crowd moved up stairs to get good
seats. In few minutes the gallery
was filed and all the seats in
the court room were occupied, but
still the crowd kept swelling, and by the
time Judge Adams had taken his seat the
room was filed and the crowd stretched out
In the lobby twenty feet.
"Have they reached verdictp II don't
Know HAS nothing been heard from
themS" mot that know off, were the
questions that were asked and answered
that we're given dozens of times. Judge
Adams asked the Sheriff if the jury had an
bounced its agreement, and, learning that
nothng had been heard from the jury room,
the Judge went on with the regular order
Of business.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WANTED
Willie Vineyard was brought into the
room and given a seat in one corner, near a
deputy sheriff The court took up the Rich
ease, and as that was spicy and entertaining,
the curiosity seekers paid close attention to
il and almost forgot the Wingard Jury.
About II o'clock knock was heard on the
door of the jury room. immediately every
heck was craned in that direction. A
deputy sheriff went 10 the door
On the inside whispered a few words
to him and he nodded his head and closed
the door, then went to the bench and spoke
10 the Judge Judge Adams said ives"
and the Deputy Sheriff cleared the specta-
tors out of the jury seats they were occupy
Ing on the north side of the room, then let
.he jury out. They took their seats and the
foreman stated to Judge Adams that they
bad come in for further instructions. The
Judge asked on what point they wished to
be instructed, and the foreman replied
that they wished TO know whether
they had only a choice between finding
the defendant guilty of murder or acquit-
ting him; they desired to be instructed
whether there was not something between
the two that they could find. Judge Adams
Instructed them that they could find the de
endant guilty of voluntary manslaughter
On hearing this the jury retired again.
HIS ARCH-ENEMY.
There was a good deal of disappointment
Ut the failure to return a verdict, still the
appearance of the jury was some relief, and
furnished a subject for whispered converse
ZION, which lasted until the Sheriff raped
with his staff and commanded silence. From
hat time until the verdict was returned
nothing occurred to turn the attention back
frNera rAa tpt ,fe
resting his elbow OH the arm of the chair
and leaning his chin in his hand most of the
lime. He did not look as fresh and bright
rs on the day of his trial, and he seemed to
grow tired waiting for the jury About
l:S0 o'clock Solicitor General duBignou
Entered and Wingard Strengthened
sanae, the up Solicitor with hs anvt sSht hn and
loving expression. From that moment until
Me jury entered his eyes scarcely left the
solicitors face for moment, and he seemed
aever so well satisfied as when he could
satch Mr.. duBignon's eye and stare and
scowl at him.
THE VERDICT.
At 5:l5 o'clock another rap was heard on
The jury room door. and a verdict was
announced Wingard was sitting by him
elf with no friend near him. his grand
,ather had not seen him in the morning,
but his little brother Tommy had brought
him some lunch at dinner time,
Ind Tommy was the only member
Of his family that he had
teen that day. 1t reused the sympathy of
lhe by-standers to see that child awaiting
70 hear within few moments whether he
was to die upon the gallows, and waiting
tlone-no friend near HIM. apparently de
serted by his family-mother, grand parents
and all. But he sat there quietly and pa
hently waited TO hear his fate The verdict
was handed to Clerk Carr, who read:
We. the jury, find the defendant guilty of
voluntary manslaughter.
A ripple of excitement ran through the
room and about half of those who had
waited so long 10 hear that verdict quickly
eft. The others remained to hear the sen
fence and they were grievously disappointed
when, a few minutes later Judge Adams
sook recess until Q o'clock this morning
without pronouncing sentence.
WHAT VOLUNTARY MANsLAUGHTER IS.
The Code says that voluntary man
daughter is killing which is the result OF
hat sudden, violent impulse of passion,
supposed TO be irresistible, apd there must
Be some actual assault on the person killing
by the person killed, or an attempt on the
part of the person killed to infict a serious
personal injury on the person killing, or
Dther equivalent circumstances to Justify the
excitement of passion, and TO exclude
III idea of elaboration or malice